Chapter 6: Making Trouble

“I’m a princess, so what if I make things difficult for an eighth-rank minor official like you?”

[The most votes are for: 1. Lu Yu – talk to Lu Yu first]

Li Rong looked at the four of them and remained silent. Behind the beaded curtain was a gauze curtain. Li Rong could clearly see their appearances, but they could only vaguely see Li Rong’s figure. Both sides were silent for a while. Li Rong lifted her chin to Jing Lan by her side.

Understanding what Li Rong meant, Jing Lan bowed to the four people behind the beaded curtain, and then respectfully said: “The Princess has heard that the four gongzi are famous in Huajing and invited you all here to meet and chat out of curiosity. Please be at ease, there is no need to be so tense.”

There was originally no such tension, but after hearing this, the atmosphere became rather tense.

A while ago, it might have been unclear, but now they were certain. How could any woman invite a few men to come and chat for no reason? It could only be related to marriage.

Yang Quan and Cui Yulang’s faces slightly changed. As for Lu Yu, he didn’t seem to understand what had happened. He just sat there in silence and seemed a little bored. Pei Wenxuan was used to masking the emotions on his face, so he leisurely glanced at the other three. He could guess some of their thoughts based on their respective expressions.

Li Rong naturally saw what he saw.

She held a cup of tea and quietly assessed the four individuals.

Yang Quan’s eyes burned with eagerness. He seemed to want to say something several times but felt that it wouldn’t be a good time to do so, so he had to restrain himself.

He wanted to marry a princess, and Li Rong immediately understood the motive behind it.

Yang Quan had a bad reputation and was often excluded from the Yang family. If he could marry a princess and were good to one another, then the things he had done in the past may be eventually forgotten.

Li Rong might have originally considered it, then she would have said a few things to him if his intentions to marry her weren’t so obvious. After all, Yang Quan would be considered a talented general in the future, and he would later die on the battlefield. If the rumors that he was a madman were false, then it would be a pity indeed. However, seeing the fierce ambition on his face, a kind of threat that could overwhelm her at any moment, Li Rong believed the rumors must have some truth to them.

Cui Yulang seemed a little cautious. He seemed to be thinking about something.

Li Rong could almost guess his thoughts. This person was really bold. Perhaps he was a bit interested after seeing her appearance, but he also disliked her status as a princess and did not want to get involved. He was obviously talented in the previous life, but after experiencing officialdom for a while, he got bored and resigned. He returned to Yangzhou where he devoted a lifetime to writing poems in brothels.

If he was incompetent, then he would not be the top scorer of the palace examinations. It was even more unlikely that he would be able to retreat from officialdom after many years with his personality. It was just that he was born with a free spirit and hated affairs of the state.

Pei Wenxuan was still the same as she remembered. His face was always calm, not the slightest hint of happiness nor sadness could be seen. Li Rong didn’t bother to give him a second glance and finally shifted her gaze to Lu Yu and quietly watched him for a few moments.

Lu Yu was the least outstanding of the four.

While he was not outstanding, he was fairly good-looking. Not bad at first glance. However, once you have looked at him for a while, there may not be a feeling of amazement, but there was a feeling like that of clear, trickling stream, gentle and comforting.

After staring for a while, she softly said: “Heir of Ning.”

Her voice had the delicate charm of a young woman, combined with slight husky notes of her natural voice. When she spoke, the final syllable was slightly drawn out, making the listener feel a tingle running through their body. It could be said to be her natural grace and charms.

The three people next to him all had their respective expressions, but Lu Yu, who had been called, was still lost in his thoughts. Li Rong thought about it for a moment. She dropped the extraneous words and called out: “Heir.”

Lu Yu understood this time. He looked at Li Rong and bluntly asked, “What did you call me for?”

This blunt and informal manner of speaking made Li Rong laugh. She softened her voice and continued to ask: “What did the Heir do today?”

Lu Yu frowned and thought about it, then he said: “Ah, did a lot of things. Woke up early this morning, A Lan let me try on ten entire sets of clothes, one set of yellow, one set of blue, one set…”

He was like a child when he spoke, recounting every little detail as if it was all very important.

Li Rong tapped the fan in the palm of her hand, listening to the crisp, silver bell-like voice that came from behind the beaded curtain with interest.

Li Rong talked to Lu Yu and found it very interesting. The other three individuals over there were completely forgotten for the time being. Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes and looked at the person sitting behind the curtain, feeling a little panicked inside.

The current situation seemed to be getting more and more different from what he remembered. Li Rong seemed to have no interest in him at all. Why was that?

Did something go wrong in between, or…

Did he just not understand anything about eighteen year old Li Rong?

Thinking of this, his heart sank. After talking to Lu Yu for a while, Li Rong turned away and said a few words to Yang Quan, and then briefly spoke to Cui Yulang. When it was Pei Wenxuan’s turn, she asked him a few words about how he was eating as of late, and then yawned: “Bengong1 is tired, please make yourselves comfortable.”

[1] Bengong — meaning “in the name of this palace’’; pronoun used by female members of the Imperial family of high rank that have their own palace

Having said that, she had someone help her up and went back inside.

Once she had left, the attendants led the four people out one by one. Pei Wenxuan deliberately slowed down and looked around. He saw that the person leading Lu Yu away was Jing Lan.

He knew how important Jing Lan was to Li Rong. He also understood Li Rong’s current situation.

Li Rong had spoken to Su Rongqing for quite a while today, which was actually quite dangerous for her. If Li Ming thought she was interested in Su Rongqing, then Li Rong will definitely perish. If Li Rong was clever, she would definitely find a way to shift the focus to another target, so that the Emperor felt that she was fond of one of the four people he had selected.

But now that Jing Lan went to Lu Yu, it seemed that Li Rong was after Lu Yu today.

Pei Wenxuan’s heart sank. He thought for a moment and then sped up his pace. He saw the servants standing at the door, waiting for them. Among them, the servant with the jade pendant of Marquis of Ning’s mansion was the most anxious. As soon as the eunuch came out, the servant greeted him and hurriedly asked, “Gonggong, this servant is the page boy2 of the Heir of the Marquis of Ning. Have you seen the Heir of my house?”

“Oh, you are the Heir of Ning’s page boy,” The eunuch looked up and down at him once and then smiled, “The Princess is fond of the Heir and kept him back to talk. Later, Jing Lan gugu3 will have someone to pick you up later, so no need to worry.”

The page boy was stunned to hear this. The eunuch turned his head and bid Pei Wenxuan farewell: “Pei gongzi, this servant can only see you off here. Please go at your own pace.”

“Thank you, gonggong.”

[2] page boy — young male servant that serves in the study, almost like a reading companion, and is responsible for light tasks like grinding ink

[3] gugu— honorific for high ranking female servants in the palace; literal meaning is “paternal aunt”

Pei Wenxuan understood etiquette very well. When he clasped his hands to salute, he held a piece of silver in his hand in front of the eunuch as if he happened to be carrying it.

The eunuch smiled, bent over and hurriedly bowed to Pei Wenxuan.

After the eunuch left, Pei Wenxuan looked at the page boy next to him. Seeing that the page looked worried, he walked over and whispered, “You’re not willing to let the Heir accompany the Princess?”

The page boy was stunned when he heard Pei Wenxuan’s words, and then he was a little wary: “You are…?”

“Pei Wenxuan,” Pei Wenxuan reported his name and hastily said, “Like the Heir of your house, I also just met with the Princess, so may I be as bold to ask one thing, your Heir…would it be very easy for him to offend the Princess?”

Pei Wenxuan spoke euphemistically, but the page boy also picked up on the fact that Pei Wenxuan knew the Heir of Ning was a fool.

Lu Yu rarely went out. His mother hid him well and had attendants follow him wherever he went whenever he went out. Not many people knew about this. When the page boy heard Pei Wenxuan’s words, he directly said: “Since Pei gongzi already knows what this servant is worried about, this servant will ask. Is there any way to avoid this?”

“When you go in and see the Heir of Ning, have him pretend to pass out.”

“If so, will the Princess hold him responsible?”

The page boy hastily asked. Pei Wenxuan calmly said: “How could he be blamed for not feeling well? To commit an offense while conscious would be a true crime.”

Hearing these words, the page boy did not respond. Pei Wenxuan turned around and said, “I’m just saying this, you can think it over yourself.”

Having said that, Pei Wenxuan returned to the front courtyard. He glanced around. Cui Yulang was already sitting with a group of women, including a junzhu4 whose palm he was holding and looking at.

[4] junzhu — title for a daughter of an Imperial Prince of the first rank and Emperor’s niece

He wasn’t worried about this person anymore because he was deliberately avoiding Li Rong.

On the other hand, Yang Quan was still talking to the eunuch, frowning and seemingly annoyed.

Pei Wenxuan thought for a bit. Then he took a cup of wine and emptied it directly onto Yang Quan’s seat while no one was paying attention.

The crowd was busy having fun at the spring banquet. Pei Wenxuan slipped through the crowd, stole a jade pendant from a random drunk person and threw it at Yang Quan’s feet.

After doing all of this, Pei Wenxuan broke away from the crowd and returned to the entrance of the rear courtyard and quietly waited.

Not long after, Yang Quan’s roar came from the crowd.

“Whose jade pendant is this?”

Yang Quan roared. The crowd began to stir. The identity of the person who lost the jade pendant was not low either. He looked at the jade pendant in Yang Quan’s hand and was a bit unhappy: “You’re the one holding my jade pendant, what are you shouting about?”

The person retorted. The two sides immediately argued. Pei Wenxuan heard those roars and let out a wry smile. He turned around, tucked his hands into his sleeves behind his back and respectfully stood there.

In the rear courtyard, Li Rong sat by the lake and had people prepare fishing rods. She prepared the boiled eggs that Lu Yu said he liked earlier. As she peeled the eggs, she waited for Lu Yu to change his clothes and come over.

Lu Yu’s servants were not careful and accidentally knocked a cup of wine over on him, so they took him to change his clothes. Li Rong guessed that something must have happened, but she wasn’t in a hurry. She placed the egg that she peeled onto the table and said to Jing Lan standing behind her: “Look how nice I am to him, I haven’t personally peeled eggs for just anyone.”

At that moment, Jing Mei hurried over with several people, slightly panicked as she said: “Princess, it’s not good, the Heir of Ning fainted.”

“If he fainted, then call an Imperial Physician,” Li Rong put the peeled egg on top of a small decorative bottle beside her, “What do you want me to do?”

Li Rong’s nonchalance as if nothing had to do with her made everyone around her quiet down and momentarily feel that it wasn’t a big deal that Lu Yu fainted. Jing Lan paused for a moment, then she respectfully said: “Princess, will you go fishing by yourself then or…”

Li Rong didn’t say anything. She brushed off the pieces of eggshell on her hand and took the handkerchief from Jing Mei’s hands. She lowered her head and wiped her fingers: “Jing Mei, you go out and call over the dog that is waiting at the rear courtyard entrance and bring it in here.”

Jing Mei was stunned, and then she stammered: “What if…there is no dog at the door?”

“Impossible,” Li Rong looked up, “Pei Wenxuan is definitely there.”

Jing Mei understood this time, so Li Rong was looking for Pei Wenxuan. She quickly led the others out. When everyone was gone, Jing Lan knelt down behind Li Rong and poured wine for Li Rong. She said with some doubts: “Your Highness doesn’t seem to like Pei Wenxuan, so why do you want to summon him?”

“Even Lu Yu fainted,” Li Rong sneered, “Do you think the others can come?”

Jing Lan was at a bit of a loss, but Li Rong didn’t offer much of an explanation. A while later, Jing Mei led Pei Wenxuan in. Pei Wenxuan knelt down and respectfully saluted Li Rong, saying, “This humble official, Pei Wenxuan, greets Your Imperial Highness.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She continued to peel eggs as Pei Wenxuan knelt respectfully, not impatient at the slightest.

After a long time, Li Rong said: “I peeled an egg and wanted to put it in the bottle, but the mouth of the bottle is too small. I can’t put it in,” Li Rong brought her eyes up to Pei Wenxuan, “I heard Pei gongzi is a smart person, so how about helping me out? If the egg cannot be put into the bottle and left intact, then Pei gongzi is not worthy of that reputation and should just jump into the lake to retain some integrity.”

“Your Highness the Princess is saying that if I can’t do it, I will have to jump into the lake?”

“Yes,” Li Rong bluntly said, “That is exactly what I meant.”

“Princess, this is a bit absurd.” Pei Wenxuan tried to dissuade her.

Li Rong propped up her chin, watching Pei Wenxuan kneel and try to avoid her suggestion with delight. She secretly felt a little happy. She felt that at this moment, Pei Wenxuan was very pleasing to the eye and brought a sense of satisfaction that could not be put to words.

So even though she knew that Pei Wenxuan was trying to divert her attention, she had the conviction to continue to pester him: “Yes, but I am a princess, so what if I’m a little willful?”

“Princess, you are an esteemed princess, but you should not make things difficult for this humble official.” Pei Wenxuan continued to persuade her.

Li Rong plucked a grape to eat and continued to make things difficult for him: “Indeed, I’m a princess, so what if I make things difficult for an eighth-rank minor official like you?”

“Princess, if this humble official can do it, then there will be no need to jump into the lake, and then I can sit and talk to Your Highness?”

“That’s right…” Li Rong subconsciously said. Before she finished her sentence, she saw Pei Wenxuan get up and take the egg off of the bottle. He tore a page from a book nearby and stuck it inside an incense burner to set it aflame. He proceeded to throw the page into the bottle, then put the egg back on top. He quickly stepped back and respectfully knelt on the ground again.

His actions were like moving clouds and flowing water. By the time Li Rong reacted, he was already kneeling again. Li Rong was furious: “Who allowed you to come up here and tear up my book?!”

Right after she said that, the egg that was originally placed on the mouth of the bottle suddenly fell into the bottle with a “pop.”

Li Rong and the servants around them looked at the egg that had disappeared into the bottle with wide eyes.

Pei Wenxuan lifted his head and looked at Li Rong: “Dare to ask the Princess, may I sit up now and talk to you properly?”

The author has something to say:

[Continue to choose:]

1.——Yes, let him sit down and chat.

2.——Dare to tear my book? Throw him into the lake!

【Mini Theater】

Pei Wenxuan: “I’m very smart, aren’t I?”

Li Rong: “I think you want to die.”